Difference Between Six Sigma and Lean Six Sigma

Key Difference – Six Sigma vs Lean Six Sigma

The key difference between Six Sigma and Lean Six Sigma is that Six Sigma is a method in management that provides organizations with necessary tools to improve the competence of business processes whereas Lean Six Sigma is a management philosophy that amalgamates lean concepts with Six Sigma principles that values defect prevention over defect detection. The overall objective of both is similar in nature, and the focus lies on obtaining increased value creation and customer satisfaction.

What is Six Sigma?

Six Sigma is a method in management that provides organizations with necessary tools to improve the competence of business processes. The concept of Six Sigma is focused on achieving quality, which in turn will increase performance levels and decrease process variation. The objectives of Six Sigma lead to reduction in defects, improvement in profits, increase in employee morale, and quality of products or services.

A number of successful companies such as Amazon.com, Boeing and Bank of America are using the concept of Six Sigma. Top management commitment is essential in order to implement a Six Sigma system and the concept is built by emphasizing on the DMAIC approach to problem-solving; define, measure, analyze, improve, and control.

Figure 1: DMAIC Approach

Six Sigma professionals conduct projects and implement improvements; they can be found at all levels of an organization. At the project level, there are black belts, master black belts, green belts, yellow belts and white belts.

Yellow Belt – Participates as a project team member and reviews process improvements that support the project

White Belt – Work on local problem-solving teams that support overall projects, but may not be part of a Six Sigma project team

While Six Sigma is very useful, it is an extremely costly implement, thus may not be affordable to some organizations. Furthermore, employees must obtain training from certified Six Sigma institutes in order for a company to receive Six Sigma certification. Training is needed even to implement Six Sigma without formal certification in order to understand the system and how to apply it to particular business processes.

What is Lean Six Sigma?

Lean Six Sigma is a management philosophy that amalgamates lean concept with Six Sigma principles that values defect prevention over defect detection. Lean Six Sigma is an advancement of Six Sigma concept. Lean systems focus on eliminating waste and creating more value for customers with limited resources. Lean Six Sigma aims to maintain defects at 3.4 per million opportunities. Companies can enjoy significant cost reductions and quality improvements by implementing lean systems such as reduced cost of rework and reduced cycle time. It can be applied anywhere variation and waste exist, and all employees in the organization should be involved in order to implement such a system. The resulting outcome of lean management is improved bottom line and highly satisfied customers.

A number of industries such as finance, health care and hospitality as well as many functions such as customer service, sales and accounting have benefited from using Lean Six Sigma. Furthermore, all types of companies including small, medium and large-scale businesses can benefit from the use of Lean Six Sigma.

Figure 02: Lean Six Sigma organizational structure

What is the difference between Six Sigma and Lean Six Sigma?

Six Sigma vs Lean Six Sigma

Six Sigma is a method in management that provides organizations with necessary tools to improve the competence of business processes.

Lean Six Sigma is a management philosophy that amalgamates lean concept with Six Sigma principles that values defect prevention over defect detection.

Origination

The concept of Six Sigma was originated in the mid-1980s.

Lean Six Sigma is a relatively novel concept developed in the mid-2000s.

Use of Lean Techniques

Lean management techniques are not utilized in Six Sigma.

Lean Six Sigma is developed on the basis of lean principles.

Summary – Six Sigma vs Lean Six Sigma

The difference between six sigma and lean six sigma depends on the use of lean concepts. Roots of Six Sigma goes back to many decades where a number of organizations in different industries have benefited from the concept. Lean Six Sigma was developed in order to gain more benefits by combining lean principles with Six Sigma. The implementation of both concepts requires much dedication among management and employees if they are to obtain successful results.